China issues guidelines on financial services data amid broader cybersecurity push

China's cybersecurity ​administrators on Saturday moved ​to tighten the grading ​and classification of data in the financial information services sector in what it ‌said would ⁠strengthen data ⁠security management and regulate industry development.

The Cyberspace Administration of China said data would be classified into four levels-core, important, sensitive general and routine general-based on importance, sensitivity ⁠and the potential ‌harm from leaks.

​The ​move was announced jointly ⁠with six other departments, including the People's ​Bank of China.


China ​has in recent years strengthened its data security framework, moving from top-level legislation to more detailed, sector-specific rules.

"Financial information services ‌are developing in an orderly manner, and the volume of ​data ​is expanding ... ⁠which urgently requires standardised, classified and graded management," the guidelines said.

The rules do ​not apply to data involving state secrets or military information.